Toe case, puff, or the like for boots and shoes.



i G. LooMs. TOE CASE, PUIF, OR THE LIKE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1910. 1*,01 5,500.

Patented Jan. 23, A1912.

MII/ll coLuMBlA PLANOORAPM co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

GEORGE LOOMS, OF MARKET HRBOROUGH, ENGLAND.

TOE CASE, PUFF, OB THE-LIKE' FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Application iled August 4, 1910.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 575,498.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE LooMs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Market Harborough, in the county of Leicester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Toe Cases, Puffs, or the Like for Boots and Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toe cases, toe boxes or puffs for boots and shoes of the type consisting of a combination of resilient and non-resilient materials, the resilient material being employed to maintain the shape of the toe of the boot or shoe and the nonresilient material beingused as a backing for the toe case and also tofacilitate the lasting` in of the toe during the manufacture of the boot or shoe.

The invention comprises a specific con-- struction and combination of resilient and non-resilient materials arranged in such a manner as to produce a toe having a bold, sustained and rigid front end-and upper part and a light flexible yielding and resilient rearward part adjacent towhere it is attached to the vamp of the upper.

The term rigid is intended to mean that the toe cap appears to possess all the qualities of an ordinary solid box (leather) toe, firm to the touch, not easily indented when pressure is applied thereto, but having the exceptional and valuable feature that if from accident or otherwise itshould be crushed by a weight or force stronger than its normal power of resistance it will recover itself and regain its ordinary contour and appearance.

In describing the details of the invention reference will be made to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a view of the inside or under-- side of a blank formed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is an outside or upper view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section of the blank taken on the line -y of Fig. 2. Fig. Il is a vertical section taken through the toe of a boot or shoe and showing theimproved toe case, box or puff in place in said toe.

The improved toe case comprises two or more layers or blanks (preferably two) consisting of resilient material, as indiarubber, and of non-resilient material, such as leather,

said 'layers being united by means of adhesive or cement, such for example as rubber solution.

The. specific construction and combination of resilient and non-resilient materials preferably employed to Vproduce the improved toe case according to this invention comprises, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, la layer or blank 1 of indiarubber and a layer or blank 2 of leather. The two layers or blanks 1 and 2 are, before uniting, placed in juxtaposition so that the end 3 of the non-resilient layer 2 protrudes beyond the resilient layer 1 at the toe, for lasting purposes, and the resilient layer or blank 1 projects beyond theVnon-resilient layer 2 atthe opposite end 4L where the toe case joins, or is adjacent to, the vamp qf the upper.

The indiarubber or resilient blank or layer 1 may be thickened at the center 5 (Fig. 3) which is to form the summit of the toe when completed and it is reduced in thickness therefrom in all directions toward its outer edge.

When the improved toe case is in place in the toe of a boot or shoe as shown in Fig. et, the non-resilient portion 2 of the case or puff will impart to the toe a bold, sustained and rigid front end and upper part a; the

resilient part 1 of the toe case will render the rearward part b of the toe of a light flexible yyielding andv resilient nature; and the thickening 5, reinforced by the non-resilient material 2, imparts a rigid yet resilient character to the toe at its summit o'.

The resilient blanks or layers 1 may be molded in series with thick centers and thinner surrounding areas and subsequently cut upinto units to be affixed to the backing or n0nresilient layer 2 in the manner hereinbefore described.

The toe case blank is, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, formed in a flat condition and the advantage of this is that such blank may be lasted to any shape of toe.

lVhat I claim then is 1. A box for the toes of shoes, comprising a piece of non-resilient material and a piece of resilient material united together by adhesive on a transverse line coincident with the summit of the toe, the edge of the resilient material overlapping the edge of the non-resilient material, and the two edges being correspondingly chamfered and forming a smooth joint, both of said pieces being the summit of the toe of the shoe and eX- 10 gradually reduced in thickness from' the tending transversely thereof. joint portion to their opposite edges. In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

2. A box for the toes of shoes, composed in presence of two Witnesses. of a piece of stiff leather and a piece of soft rubber, having overlapping oppositely bevf GEORGE LOOMS eled contacting edges secured together by Witnesses: v

adhesive material, the joint formed by the E. N. LEWIS,

overlapping edges lying at approximately GEORGE LESTER.

Copies of this patentk may Vbe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

